All-Area Athletes & Teams
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Page 34 www.yoursun.com By PATRICK OBLEY SPORTS EDITOR This is a team-by-team look back at the accomplishments by student-athletes at area schools this season. CHARLOTTE: Powerhouse programs hold serve When anyone thinks of Charlotte High sports, four jump immediately to mind and the Tarpons continued to excel in those areas during a stand- out 2021-22 school year. No program in the region can hold a candle to the sustained success of the Tarpon boys basketball team, whose excel- lence dates back to the 1990s. Once again, the class of the Sun Preps area, Charlotte battled its way through yet another brutal slate to win a district title and advance to the region semifi- nals in Tom Massolio's 25th and final year at the helm. But they weren't the only basketball team in the gym with bona fides. For a second consecutive sea- son, the Tarpon girls advanced to the state's Final Four behind their trademarks of transition oense and suocating defense. It was a terrific winter season all around at the venerable Punta Gorda school. The Tarpon wrestling team entered the year as the defend- ing Class 2A state champion and acquitted themselves well. Though they ultimately fell short of a repeat, Andrew Austin certainly didn't, becom- ing a three-time state champion in his final season. The state meet marked the final bow for one of the better senior classes in recent memory, including Austin, Isaac Church, Patrick Nolan and Biaggio Frattarelli. Then, of course, there's the team that entered the season as a defending state champion and exited the same way. The boys weightlifting team was even more dominant during its second title run behind Christian Kreegel, who will go down as one of the greatest lifters in school history. He had plenty of help from the likes of John Breaux, Zach Anderson and Nate Smith. Across all sports, many tal- ented Tarpon seniors took their final bow, but the cupboard remains full. Looking ahead to the 2022-23 season, keep an eye on uber-tal- ented John Gamble, who should be the focus of an intense, high-level basketball recruiting battle. Cael Newton is poised to be a standout on the football field and wrestling mat. Brayan Augustin will be a big-play threat in football and a medal hopeful in track. The beach volleyball duo of Julia Damico and Madeline Wadsworth should return and keep the Tarpons in the conver- sation as one of the area's top new programs. Sydney Rootz has laid the groundwork for an epic junior year in virtually any sport she chooses to play. Adaora Edeoga has done the same for her coming senior turn. D'Yanis Jimenez will be the area's top returning girls' basketball player and Celina Myers will be a favorite to swim at states. That's just a few of the many. In all, 49 boys and 32 girls were named to their respective Sun Preps All-Area first and second teams. Four coaches – Massolio, Matt Stephenson (girls bas- ketball), Matt Galley (girls weightlifting) and Jim Wiseman (boys weightlifting) – have been named coaches of the year in their sports. BOYS FIRST TEAMERS Cross Country Simon Pettit, Sr. Football Maverick Menzer, Sr. Tyler Amaral, Sr. Connor Trim, Jr. Swimming Charlie Plaisted, Sr. James Rose, Sr. Basketball John Gamble, Jr. DJ Woods, Sr. Soccer Dylan Salomon, Sr. Wrestling Andrew Austin, Sr. Kaiden Ballinger, So. James Baltutis, Jr. Isaac Church, Sr. Camren French, So. Cael Newton, Jr. Patrick Nolan, Sr. Weightlifting Christian Kreegel, Sr. John Breaux, Sr. Zach Anderson, Jr. Nate Smith, Jr. Baseball Justin McQueen, Jr. Tyler Waterhouse, Jr. Dylan Leahy, Sr. SECOND TEAMERS Cross Country Alex Lincoln-Velez, So. Football Biaggio Frattarelli, Sr. Cael Newton, Jr. Mickel Williams, Sr. Kris McNealy, Jr. Logan James, Sr. Brayan Augustin, Jr. Golf Clay Hayse, Sr. Swimming Gage McCauley, Sr. Gage Slorp, Jr Basketball Jordany Reyes-Sanchez Soccer Alex Cash, Sr. Noah Rodriguez, Sr. Logan Sweet, Sr. Wrestling Nathaniel Box, Jr. Biaggio Frattarelli, Sr. Tennis Tyler Olby, Sr. Track & Field Brayan Augustin, Jr. Matthew Kelly, Sr. Weightlifting Rylan Tolliver, So. Ryan Petersen, Sr. Brendan Chavarria, Jr. Troi'Quawn McClary, Sr. Baseball Quaid Go, Sr. Braddock Marshall, So. Zack Schooley, Sr. GIRLS FIRST TEAMERS Cross Country Hanna Martin, So. Sangie Lincoln-Velez, Sr. Swimming Celina Myers, So. Volleyball Kristen Lowers, Sr. Alex Vega, Sr. Basketball Ary Hicks, Sr. D'Yanis Jimenez, Jr. Soccer Alyssa Gilliard, Sr. Weightlifting Gianna Creola, Sr. Beach Volleyball Julia Damico, So. Madeline Wadsworth, Jr. Track & Field Sydney Rootz, So. Softball Kassidy Hopper, Sr. Lexi Fitzgerald, So. Jasmine Jones, Jr. Faith Wharton, Jr. Mia Flores, So. SECOND TEAMERS Cross Country Ava Taylor, Fr. Swimming Roxana Manta, Sr. Megan Morales, Jr. Kasey Roy, Fr. Zoe Schwartz, Fr. Basketball Adriana Iorfida, Jr. Kristen Lowers, Sr. Soccer Sydney Rootz, So. Peyton Taylor, Jr. Weightlifting Marissa Schuler, Sr. Maelani Parkinson, Jr. Tennis Halayna Roberson, Jr. Track & Field Adaora Edeoga, Jr. Tykiriah Thomas, Sr. Softball Amber Chumley, So. DESOTO COUNTY: Bulldogs bulldoze their way onto All-Area squads DeSoto County High does not compete in all sports like its five other Sun Preps-area brethren. Which is why the Bulldogs' 25 All-Area team selections might be the most impressive feat of all. Powered by the incredible boys' soccer team, the Bulldogs landed 15 boys selections and five girls selections on All-Area squads during the 2021-22 school year with 11 total first- team appearances. Nazir Gilchrist closed out his high school career with first- team selections for football and basketball. He was easily among the most talented athletes in the entire Sun Preps region. He and Blas Cervantes represented the Bulldogs on the football first team while Jalen Taylor earned second-team honors. The boys' soccer team thundered to one of the greatest showings in school history in any sport, reaching the Final Four. That team's whopping seven All-Area selections bested every school in the region in any sport, except Venice's football showing. Juan Buenrostro, Emanuel Barajas, Joan Gamez and Jeilen Augustin landed on first team while Alejandro Garcia, Auselio Gutierrez and Fernando Marquez rounded out the sec- ond team. Buenrostro, Gamez, Augustin and Gutierrez will return as the Bulldogs try and build on their 17-2 campaign. When Keimar Richardson graduated last year, no one knew for sure how the DeSoto boys basketball team would replace his production. Turns out the answer was Jamari Redding, who averaged a dou- ble-double alongside Gilchrist to keep the Bulldogs hoopers relevant this season. Redding will return next season while Gilchrist takes his talents to the next level. DeSoto's boys were also represented this year on the golf (Marques Angeles), track (Dontavian Smith) and tennis (Ezra Moreno) All-Area squads. THE SUN PREPS ALL-AREA HONOREES SEE HONOREES, 35A